Bending mine



R. V. MORSE.-

BENDING MINE. APPLICATION FILED MAYI4.19|9.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

ROBERT V. MORSE, OCE ITHACA, NEW YORK.

`BENDIIWCX MINE.

Appiication sied May i4, 191e. serial No. 297,080,

l :To all 'whom'z't may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERTv V. vMORSE, a citizen of vthe United States, residing at Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and IState of New York, have invented a new and use* ful Bending Mine, ofwhich the following,

Vtaken with the accompanying drawings, is

a specification.

This invention relates to the art of warfare, and particularly to means for meeting attacks from armored tanks. These attacks owe their efl'e'ctiveness'to the rapidity with which they can be made. The object of this invention is to impede orlpreyent the approach of tanks, and ,hencev "prevent the enemy from utilizing the element of surprise when employing tanks for attack or coimter-attack.

The invention relates to, a type of stake mine which is driven rmly into the ground, so that it cannot be cleared by advancing infantry, and which is so designed that it will not explode on impact of a bullet, so that it is substantially inert to machine gun or shell fire; yet the mine is designed to explode when it is bent by the ponderous mass of a tank attempting to pass over it.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure l shows in cross-section one form of bending mine embodying the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is a similar cross-section showing in more detail the middle portion of the mine, which contains the detonating mechanism. The mine comprises the strong stake l, preferably made of steel, the tube 2 which contains the detonating mechanism and explosive charge, and the point 3 to facilitate driving into the ground. The mine is planted by pounding it into the ground, until the tube -is completely embedded,leav,ing the stake 1 extending above the ground. The explosive charge 4 is contained in the lower part of the tube 2. Above the charge L is the plug 5, which carries the percussion lring and primer 6. The upper end of the fracture bar 7 is fixed to the bottom of the stake l, while the lower end of the fracture bar 7 is secured in the plug 5. A portion of the bar 7 is reduced in size,-this reduced portion 8 being termed the fracture neck of the bar. The bar 7 extends through the percussion ring 6, leaving an annular space between the bar 7 and the ring 6. The tube 2 is amply strong to hold the whole apparatus rigid against the im- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

pact of blows, or bullets. Vhen howeverthe i ponderous massv of a tank attempts to vpass f over the mine, the tube 2,V beingsomewhat weaker than the stake l, bends somewhere in the neighborhoodof the bar 7 The bar-7 is thus bentuntil it snaps at the fracturene'ck 8, whereupon the bar 7, suddenly released from lexure, strikes asharp vblow against some point in the percussion ring 6. This blow detonates the percussion ring 6, which ignites the powder trains 9,' whichlead through openings 10 in the plug 5 to: theinain charge 4, thus exploding the mine.- T-he percussion detonator 6 is madein' annu` lar form so'that it will be struck irrespective of the direction in which the mine is bent.

In the foregoing there has been described a mine embodying the general principles of my invention. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the apparatus is susceptible to many variations and adaptations without departing from the scope of the invention as outlined in the following claims:

l. In a mine, the combination of a casing adapted to be inserted into the ground, an extension on the casing to project above the ground so that when the extension is deiiected the casing will be bent, a percussion detonator within the casing, an explosive charge connected to the detonator, means insensitive to impact but operative by flexure whereby the detonator will be struck a sharp blow when the casing is bent.

2. In a mine, the combination of a casing a percussion detonator within the casing` an explosive charge, an extension on the cas-l ing somewhat stiffer than the casing, a striker mechanism arranged to be insensitive to impact but operative when the casing is bent, whereby the detonator will be struck when the casing is bent by a deflection of the extension.

3. Ina mine, the combination of a casing containing a percussion igniting means, said igniting means being protected by the casing from impact but arranged to become operative when bent, an extension for bending the casing, and an explosive charge arranged to be exploded by the operation of the igniting means.

4. A defense against tanks, comprising apointed mine adapted to be driven into the ground, an explosive charge within the mine, a percussion igniting means protected so as to be insensitive to impact but arranged to become operative when bent, a portion of said mine being adapted to extend suliciently above the ground so that the mine will be bent when a tank attempts to pass over it.

5. A defense against tanks, comprisingV a pointed mine adapted to be driven into the ground, an explosive charge within the mine, a percussion igniting means protected so as to be insensitive to impact but ar' ranged to become operative through Yfracture following tlexure when bent, a portion of said mine 'being adapted to extend Ysutliciently above the ground so that the mine will be bent when a tank attempts to pass over it.

6. In a mine, the combination of a casing' adapted to be inserted i-n the ground, a percussion detonator, a stake adapted to extend above the ground, a bar connected to the stake and extending in proximity to the detonator, an explosive charge in the casing, said bar having a weakened portion arranged to break when the bar is suffi` ciently bent, whereby the bar in straightening after the weakened portion has broken will strike the percussion detonator and explode Ithe mine.

7. Ina mine, the combination of a tube,

Y a point at one end of the tube to facilitate insertion in the ground, an extension on the other end of the tube whereby the tube may be bent, an explosive charge, an igniting mechanism within the tube comprising a ring which can be detonated by percussion, a bar extending through the ring and secured to the Vmine so as to be bent when the J. L. BARR, O. B. TRACY. 

